Ghost
by Andie O'Neill
Summary: Jack Carter and his daughter have started a new life in San Francisco, but they’re not the only ones.
1. Chapter 1

Ghost

By Andie O'Neill

Fandom: Eureka

Genre: Romance, Angst

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Nathan/Jack, Nathan/Allison (past)

Warnings: Slash

Spoilers: S3

Summary: Almost a year ago Jack Carter was fired as Sheriff, and moved from Eureka to start a new life in San Francisco, but he's not the only one who's moved on.

Spoiler Free Summary: Jack Carter and his daughter have started a new life in San Francisco, but they're not the only ones.

A/N: I'm not making this an AU story, which means it follows the timeline. Confused? Read and you'll understand! :D I like 'fix-it' stories.

Disclaimer: I do not own Eureka or any of this characters… :grumbles:

* * *

Part One

Carter smiled, grabbing his keys from the desk as he locked up his report. He'd had one of the longest days of his life, tracking a criminal who'd tried to skip town after making bail. The man, Vic Harper had been a tough catch, but Jack had learned a lot since his time in Eureka… including how to out-smart a genius. Being a US Marshall again had been strange at first. He kept waiting for insane disasters that would mean the end of the world, but instead he faced the usual cons and murderers. He didn't have to worry about the latest nuclear powered toaster that would inevitably explode. Sure, he missed the Vinspresso and he kinda missed the small town feel, but he'd moved on long ago and he refused to look back on what might have been. He wasn't sure he could have stayed there much longer anyway considering everything that had happened.

"How's Zoe doing?" asked Steve Cameron, a fellow US Marshall. They'd worked a lot of cases together since Jack's transfer, and over the year since had become good friends. Jack missed Henry, but it was always good to make new friends. Steve was a tall man, in his mid forties, with salt and pepper hair. It was cut short and styled prim and proper. His green eyes were a sharp contrast to his tanned skin, and Jack couldn't help but be reminded of a scientist he'd once known back in Eureka who'd had those same green eyes… until he'd manage to put those bad memories aside.

Jack looked up, grabbing his suit jacket. "They've got her enrolled in some honors courses this year, but Zoe complains it's not much of a challenge." He was a father, and father's loved the brag… especially when their daughters were god damn geniuses.

Cameron shook his head, laughing. "That girl of yours. You do know you're raising the next Einstein right?"

Thinking back to what he'd been used to in Eureka, Carter had to swallow back the words collecting in his throat. 'You have no idea,' he thought to himself. "Yeah well, she get's the brains from her mother. The street smarts are a Carter attribute. Either way, I figure she's got her bases covered." Sometimes it was tough pretending the years he'd spent in Eureka hadn't happened. He missed the people, even Fargo… and SARAH, though at least she'd always had a beer ready after a tough days work. The apartment he was staying in now did none of those things. Hell, it didn't even talk to him when no one was home. How screwed up was that? "See ya later, Steve. Tell that wife of yours I said 'hello'."

Steve smiled, grabbing his own things. "Will do. You know… Christmas is coming awfully soon. You and Zoe are welcome to come over and eat dinner with us… if you'd like."

Jack knew his label of 'divorced' often meant lots of sympathy from those around him. He too had believed the same at one time, but the fact of the matter was… he had a good life. He and Abby were on good terms. Zoe was still living with him, and their relationship was stronger than ever. What more could he really ask for? He didn't need companionship. Sure, he certainly wouldn't turn it down, but he wasn't desperate. He'd been through enough drama in the past to know that sometimes the single life wasn't so bad. "Uh, I'll let you know. We might be going over to Abby's to celebrate."

Steve raised an eyebrow. "You two trying to get back together?"

Jack laughed. "No, I think we like things the way they are. Besides, last I heard she's dating again."

Steve shook his head. "You must be the only man I know who has THAT good a relationship with his ex wife."

Carter was sure there were others out in the world that had managed to do the same, but chose to keep quite, rubbing the back of his head as he headed for the door. "What can I say? When you've lived my life, you get used to the unusual."

* * *

Jack dropped the keys on the table beside the door, smiling as he walked over to his daughter, kissing the top of her head as he shrugged off his jacket. "Hey Dad," she greeted, not bothering to look up from her homework.

"Hey Zo, how's the school work coming?" he asked, collapsing on the couch and turning on the TV to sports center in the hopes of catching the score of last night's game, which he'd sadly missed thanks to a very demanding job.

"Almost finished. I just have a few more problems to do and then I'll be done."

"I thought you had a science project to turn in tomorrow?" he questioned, surprised that she would be finished so quickly. He knew she would have gotten home hours ago, but normally she didn't bother with school work until around dinner time, which she'd gotten into the habit of cooking. The health fixation she had going was getting kind of old, but he'd managed to live with it, just happy to see her passionate about something. Besides, he'd lost quite a bit of weight, and he did have more energy since Zoe had gotten him eating the lawn.

"I finished that yesterday," she told him, as if it were nothing. He'd never thought that tone in her voice would be a good thing. He'd never really understood how much Eureka's schools had challenged Zoe until he'd seen her in a regular one again.

Carter just smiled. "How about pizza for dinner tonight? You've been cooking all week and I could use some grease for once."

Zoe rolled her eyes. "Whatever Dad, it's your body… but I think I'll stick with the tofu chicken over wheat rice."

Jack shivered at the thought, grabbing for the phone. He really wanted some pizza.

* * *

It was a warm night, and almost quiet for a change as he walked the half a block to the pizza place down the street from his apartment. The small shop was owned by a man who'd moved to America from Italy and was probably the closest thing to Vincent's skill as Jack was ever going to get. He'd always known he had it good between the cooking at Café Diem and the house that was more like a maid, but now there was no doubt. His tongue missed the creative flavors and unique ideas that only Vince had been able to provide. Jack was pulled from his thoughts as a black car, sped past, so quick he hadn't even been able to identify what kind, parking in the lot beside the Pizza place. He wasn't quite sure why he found himself staring across the street, watching the door open and a surprisingly tall, well built man climb out wearing jeans, a well fit black t-shirt, and a leather jacket to match.

Jack couldn't make out his face in the dark, but he could see the five o'clock shadow and curly hair and for a moment the man was replaced with Doctor Nathan Stark, looking back at him with those green eyes and cocky grin. Carter closed his eyes, shaking the image from his thoughts before he watched the man walk inside, then looked both ways and crossed the road to follow. He really needed to get some sleep after dinner… he was seeing ghosts. He opened the door to the small place, smiling at the little girl eating at one of the tables with her parents. Her blonde hair immediately made him think of Zoe, and suddenly he was back in time to the moments before his divorce when their family had been complete. Carter liked the way things were, but there were still times when he wondered if it would have been better had he and Abby never separated.

"I'd like a chicken parmesan…" he heard the deep voice and Jack immediately froze, looking up slowly to see the same tall man and suddenly his heart was pumping a mile a minute. He really _was_ seeing ghosts… and apparently hearing them too. The man's back was turned, but Jack knew that voice well, as if it'd been burned into his very soul. The last words he'd ever heard had played over and over in his mind more times than Jack care to consider.

The woman taking his order nodded, writing it down quickly. "To go?" she asked, in a faint Italian accent.

The man nodded. "Yes, thank you."

'Well it couldn't be him… the man I remember doesn't say things like _please_ and _thank you_,' he thought to himself, allowing a smile as he remembered the teasing banter they'd shared. Then suddenly he was turning around and Jack immediately saw those eyes… and they were _those_ eyes… _his_ eyes! Carter was sure his heart had stopped. Suddenly the world faded to black and everything froze, as if time stood still, and he was back in that damn town watching helplessly as a man gave up his life for the greater good. The man before him seemed to be just as surprised, eyes wide, and Jack could see the settle differences. His beard had been toned down, a mere shadow of what it was. His hair had grown longer. Despite the differences, Jack knew this man. He'd seen dead people before… looking back to one of his first cases involving Mrs. Perkins, who they'd buried moments before, then saw waltzing into his office asking for her dead husband… who had also been very much alive. He'd seen ghosts before, but never one that hit him so close to home, knocking him backwards and taking his breath away.

"N-N-Nathan Stark?" he asked, positive that he'd finally lost it. His time in Eureka could surely have caused some sort of mental disorder with all the stress he'd been under… facing the pressure of the world on his shoulders.

The ghost stared at him for a long moment, as if he too were seeing a ghost before a small smile appeared on his face. "It's been a long time, Sheriff…."

"A long time?!" Now Jack was talking to the ghost… not good. "You were… I mean you can't be… you were… I watched you…" Jack huffed in frustration, unable to actually saw the word. One part of his mind assured him that people coming back from the dead was impossible, and therefore Jack had to be dreaming, or mentally unstable. The other part kept playing back all the impossible things he'd seen during the time he'd worked as Sheriff in Eureka. It occurred to him that there were people around, and shouting that he'd watched the man before him die would not be a good idea, and would probably land him a trip to the mental institution. He tried to keep his calm, even though the panic inside him was struggling to take over. He was talking to a dead man!

Nathan took a step toward him, and Jack took a step back. Stark sighed, rolling his eyes. "Carter, I can explain… just calm down before you-" but he never got to finish the sentence as Jack suddenly started to feel very dizzy and the world began to swirl around him before fading to black.

To Be Continued


	2. Chapter 2

Ghost

By Andie O'Neill

Fandom: Eureka

Genre: Romance, Angst

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Nathan/Jack, Nathan/Allison (past)

Warnings: Slash

Spoilers: S3

Summary: Almost a year ago Jack Carter was fired as Sheriff, and moved from Eureka to start a new life in San Francisco, but he's not the only one who's moved on.

Spoiler Free Summary: Jack Carter and his daughter have started a new life in San Francisco, but they're not the only ones.

A/N: I'm not making this an AU story, which means it follows the timeline. Confused? Read and you'll understand! :D I like 'fix-it' stories.

Disclaimer: I do not own Eureka or any of this characters… :grumbles:

* * *

Part Two

As he slowly reached consciousness once more it was his hope to find himself in bed, awakening from a very bad dream, but as he opened his eyes and saw the green that had haunted him so long after their owner's death… he knew there was no such luck. He groaned, sitting up slowly, noticing the amused smirk on the scientist/ghost's face. "Where the hell am I?" he asked, rubbing his head as he realized it was throbbing.

"You're at my apartment. The owner wanted to call 911, but I told her I was an old friend and she let me take care of things. You hit your head on the way down. I didn't have enough time to stop it. You'll have a bit of a bruise for awhile, but I'm pretty sure there's no concussion. You fainted," the ghost in the form of Stark explained.

Jack immediately glared at him. "I did _not_ faint. I passed out."

"Fainted."

"I did not faint, I just…" Jack shook his head, closing his eyes for a moment as he tried to gain back some control. "What the hell am I doing? I'm arguing with a corpse," he mumbled to himself.

Stark snorted. "Carter, I was never dead."

Jack frowned, looking back up, a little confused. "What?"

The ghost rolled his eyes once more, his amusement growing, and Jack soon realized he was sitting on a bed, with the ghost of Stark sitting beside him. The lights were low and almost intimate, and he couldn't help but feel his heart thud against his chest at the romantic feel. Hell… if he was Demi Moore he was gonna be seriously pissed. "Tell me something, Carter… did you ever notice a body after I did what I did to stop the time loop?"

Carter shook his head. "No, you just… disappeared."

"And before, when Winebrienner tried to stop the loop, was there a body?"

Jack felt like he was being talked down to, something Stark was famous for. He hadn't liked it then and he didn't like it now. "Of course… you were there."

"Shouldn't that have told you something?"

Carter raised an eyebrow, with a deadpanned expression.

Stark sighed dramatically. "Until there's a body… or residue that supports the theory that there once was a body… the person may not be as dead as you think," he finally explained.

Jack's brain was already starting to hurt. "If that's the case, where the hell were you? I watched you disappear! I watched you freeze, then… nothing," he fought.

Stark tilted his head, the amusement returning. "I was trapped in time. I would try to explain it further but I'd have better luck talking to a wall. Let's just say it wasn't pretty. I'd probably still be in that state if not for an accident at GD that made people aware of my existence. It took Henry months before he was finally able to pull me back into the right timeline safely. Then came the long weeks of trying to bring me back from the dead… although it was made easier with the new updated form. It was the psychology bull that I could have done without."

Carter had to smile at the grimace on Nathan's face even thinking about sitting before a psychologist talking about his feelings. He didn't see that going over very well. "So you really are here… I'm not talking to a ghost?"

Stark shook his head. "Last I checked… not a ghost. I must say, I was surprised when Allison and Henry told me you'd been fired."

Jack shrugged, suddenly wishing they could talk about something else. "That was a long time ago. I've moved on from that life. It's better this way. Zoe gets to see her mother more often; I don't have the weight of the world on my shoulders… although the food could certainly be better." Stark whole-heartedly agreed. "So what the hell are you doing here?" Jack found himself asking. With Stark back he would have thought he'd stay in Eureka, perhaps resume his position with all its responsibilities. He and Allison could start from where they'd left off.

Nathan frowned, looking down for a moment. "Things weren't the same after I came back… I suppose I wasn't the same. Allison's engaged to a scientist… some new guy they brought in after I left. I'd missed too much time… so I left."

Carter couldn't help but be surprised, unable to believe the scientist would just up and leave. "What about your kid?" he asked.

Nathan gave him a confused look at first, before realization dawned, and suddenly his eyes grew distant. "She never told you?"

"Told me what?"

Stark took in a shaky breath. "She lost the baby," he whispered.

Jack knew it was a lot to take in at one time. Not only had a man come back from the dead, but he'd also learned apparently the woman Jack had cared about once back in a town he'd been trying to forget had gone through something horrible. After everything she'd been through, he could only imagine how devastating the loss had been, and his heart immediately hurt that he couldn't have been there for her. So many times she'd tried to stay in touch… her, Henry, Jo, and many of the others, but it was easier to just forget. He'd begun a new life, and he didn't want to be reminded of what he'd lost. He was at a loss for words, because nothing was good enough. He could see the pain in the scientist's eyes, and knew the real reason why Stark had left Eureka. Not only had he lost his fiancé, but he'd lost a child he'd never gotten the chance to know. "Jeez… Nathan, I'm sorry."

"Its fine," Stark lied, a faint smile on his lips, though his eyes were still distant. "I've started a new life here… and I see you've done the same. I left Eureka once… it was easier the second time around. "Allie's happy, Kevin's happy… and they have their own lives to live. I figured it was about time I found mine. I started a new company… _Stark Industries_. I've got a great office… over looking the Golden Gate Bridge. Business is good."

Carter could only imagine what Stark had been forced to go through after being brought back. He'd left everything behind, started his own company, but the Marshall knew he was alone… could see it in his eyes. Jack had, at least, had Zoe for support. On those bad days when they were reminded of the town they'd come to see as home, they had each other to rely on and draw comfort from. Stark had no one. "I'm glad. Just figures that you'd move to the one city I'm living in. You really must enjoy making my life miserable if you followed me all the way here," he joked.

Nathan smiled. "Best part of my day, Carter."

The two shared a small smile, and Jack could see the difference in Nathan. Without Allison between them the daggers in Stark's eyes were gone, and Jack suddenly wondered how it would change their relationship… if there was even something to change. Just because the man had taken him home and into his bed… (and didn't that just sound wrong on so many levels) didn't mean they were going to be friends… 'or more,' added the part of his brain that had always insisted that Nathan Stark was an attractive man. It was then that Jack thought about Zoe, and everything he'd just been told. The kid would probably be calling the Doctors to take him away when he told her who he'd run into. "What time is it?" he asked, his voice unusually deep.

Nathan looked down at his watch. "Almost one in the morning."

Carter cursed. He must have been out for a few hours for it to be that late. "Crap… Zoe… she's probably freaking out right about now. I was only going out to get some pizza."

Stark nodded, watching Jack sit up more, and the Marshall froze as it only moved their faces closer together, and the spark between them tripled. Blue met green and neither moved for quite some time. "You look good, Carter."

Jack blushed, unable to look away. "For a guy who's recently come back from the dead… so do you." It was then that Carter's mind decided it was time to remember those last few moments before he'd thought they'd lost Stark forever. He heard the words that always hit his heart, Stark's last words to him before he'd given him that watery smile. It had been at that moment that Jack had realized just what they'd all lost, and just how important the scientist had become to him. He'd never known until then how he'd felt about the man. Now it seemed like a second chance had just been placed into his lap (because how ironic was it that they'd both chosen the same place to start their life over after Eureka?)

He couldn't let the moment slip through his fingers. Before he could think of a reason not to, Jack moved a hand to Stark's cheek and pulled him into a kiss, pouring all the passion he'd felt building between them release. He should have been surprised when Nathan kissed him back, when he felt the scientist's arms wrap around him and suddenly he was falling backward against the bed. Zoe was forgotten as Jack moaned, feeling Nathan nibble on his bottom lip and gasped as hands wandered to slid under his shirt. His brain was quickly turning to mush and Jack knew no way to stop it. He was lost in the need he'd never known he'd had. They were two men, alone, cut off from a place they'd both called home and who the hell could fault them for wanting to find comfort in each other's arms? It'd been so long since Jack had been with someone… had felt such electricity. His skin was tingling in delicious ways, and he didn't want it to end. Thankfully, Nathan (being the genius he was) managed to gain back control, and pulled away, though not by much. They were both panting, eyes dark with arousal. "Call Zoe… tell her you're not coming home tonight," Nathan practically growled.

Jack didn't bother trying to argue as he pulled the phone from his belt, and dialed the number while Nathan licked and bit against exposed skin. Carter tried to stop him, not sure he wanted to have a conversation with his daughter while Nathan was doing such amazingly good things to his body. _"Dad? Where the hell have you been? I've been scared to death that something happened to you!"_

"I… I-I'm sorry Zoe… something kinda came up. I'm not gonna make it home tonight. Are you going to be okay by yourself?" he asked.

"_I'm almost eighteen, Dad, I think I can manage,"_ she assured him_. "But what happened? Why do you sound like that? What's going on?" _Her questions were making Jack's head spin, and he was distracted enough as it was watching Nathan push up his shirt to take a nipple into his mouth. Jack bit back a groan.

"I… uh… I just… uh… oh f- um… you might say I ran into a ghost. I'll explain later. Just call me if you need anything and I'll run straight home."

"_Ooookay,"_ she said, and he knew she was suspicious. _"Are you with someone?"_

"Goodbye Zoe," he told her, rolling his eyes. He could hear her let out a brief laugh and frowned.

"_Night Dad."_

He closed the phone and dropped it to the floor as Nathan moved on to the other nipple, groaning at the sensation. "You are seriously going to pay for that," he promised, pulling Nathan up for a kiss, and he could feel the scientist laugh against him.

"I hope to," he whispered against Jack's lips, pulling off the shirt and suddenly Carter's brain was melted once more, content to give into the sensations of his would-be ghost. "I sincerely hope so…."

The End


End file.
